I just love the anecdotes ya'll share here. Seems to me everyone has a favorite BP story. Be it a bit of history or personal experience I'd love to hear yours. Bet everyone else wouldn't mind spending a moment or two being regaled. Me being quite new to BP, well... I wanted to make BP because I had made a golf ball mortar and then could not stop making cannons. I was making my own shot and the BP was the next obvious choice. That's how I joined this site. Listening to all of your advice and taking heed of your warnings I made my first BP. I can't tell you how satisfying it was to know I had made the cannon, the shot and the BP. The fuse was lit and I had no Idea what was about to happen. My Wife, dog and several friends were present. Suddenly a loud boom veiled in a huge cloud of smoke appeared. This was followed by a resounding smack of the shot impacting on the rock cliff some 100 yards away. I was the proud cannonman! I took a modest bow as my wife and friends were clapping at the achievement. My dog? Really did not care.
Your favorite story please.
- Thread starter CANNONMAN
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J-Bar
Member
The Missouri Department of Conservation provides public shooting ranges in several locations across the state. The one near my home town of Springfield, the Andy Dalton Range in Ash Grove, MO, hosts an "Outdoor Sports" day each year, where kids can learn about hunting, trap and skeet shooting, and gun safety. Only the kids can shoot, but of course their parents can watch.
Several years ago, our cowboy action shooting club participated with three cowboys in full dress. We were given the three shooting booths at the end of the line, with the modern rifles and handguns being more easily available in the middle of the range. Even so, folks walked the extra distance to see what these guys in costume were doing.
I took a Ruger Vaquero with .38 Special smokeless loads and a Uberti 1851 Navy .36, and gave the kids their choice. Most had never shot a handgun in their lives, so each one got a quick safety lesson in gun handling, then a few minutes coaching on sight alignment and squeezing the trigger. We had steel targets set up at 5 yards, so this was not bullseye shooting, but as any cowboy action shooter can verify, you can still miss a big, close target!
The kids were great! They listened to instruction (it was just the two of us...parents had to stay out of the booth) and were focused on what they had learned. Most of them shot the targets clean with the Vaqueros.
I only had one shooter, a ten-year old boy, choose the cap and ball revolver. I let him dry fire the Vaquero just to get the feel of pulling a revolver's trigger, then handed him the Navy. He used both hands of course, and took his time, concentrating on his sights. After the first shot, which blotted out the targets with a cloud of smoke, he glanced over at me standing next to him and grinned. He concentrated on the next four, took his time, and cleaned the targets with all five shots.
I took the empty revolver from him, looked him in the eye and said, "Son, you are a real cowboy." He ran back to his dad and said, "I'm a real cowboy!"
That one kid made my day.
Several years ago, our cowboy action shooting club participated with three cowboys in full dress. We were given the three shooting booths at the end of the line, with the modern rifles and handguns being more easily available in the middle of the range. Even so, folks walked the extra distance to see what these guys in costume were doing.
I took a Ruger Vaquero with .38 Special smokeless loads and a Uberti 1851 Navy .36, and gave the kids their choice. Most had never shot a handgun in their lives, so each one got a quick safety lesson in gun handling, then a few minutes coaching on sight alignment and squeezing the trigger. We had steel targets set up at 5 yards, so this was not bullseye shooting, but as any cowboy action shooter can verify, you can still miss a big, close target!
The kids were great! They listened to instruction (it was just the two of us...parents had to stay out of the booth) and were focused on what they had learned. Most of them shot the targets clean with the Vaqueros.
I only had one shooter, a ten-year old boy, choose the cap and ball revolver. I let him dry fire the Vaquero just to get the feel of pulling a revolver's trigger, then handed him the Navy. He used both hands of course, and took his time, concentrating on his sights. After the first shot, which blotted out the targets with a cloud of smoke, he glanced over at me standing next to him and grinned. He concentrated on the next four, took his time, and cleaned the targets with all five shots.
I took the empty revolver from him, looked him in the eye and said, "Son, you are a real cowboy." He ran back to his dad and said, "I'm a real cowboy!"
That one kid made my day.
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2002
- Messages
- 22,510
Pistol range was always crowded on weekends. I would be the first in my group on the line. Why me? Because I had a Ruger Old Army which I slopped the Crisco over. After a few rounds, people left. Then my friends could shoot too.
zimmerstutzen
Member
Went to the local outdoors show and the Isaac Walton League had a range set up for folks to learn to shoot a pistol. Shooting at 30 feet at a large target and a score of 50 or better could shoot another round free. I pretended not to know how to shoot and took the 22 pistol shakily, swung the gun almost to the point of being pointed at the booth attendants, and then asked for shooting instructions. The guy was good but tried to have me do a police combat stance. From which I can't shoot for crap. Maybe I could do better one handed I suggested. When it finally came time to fire live rounds, I shook and pretended it was hard to pull the trigger. And then put all 5 in the ten ring.
Then i said loudly, hey this is easy, and made enough fuss that the booth had a waiting line.
Then i said loudly, hey this is easy, and made enough fuss that the booth had a waiting line.
Acorn Mush
Member
Sandbagger!
Andy2
Member
So my friend Dave and I have about 20 original firearms from about the 1780's to the 1880's. We have been going around to rondezvous near and far showing and telling as it were, about these old guns and old ways of shooting.
At my first show at the local library, I had a young boy just thrilled to have his picture taken with handmade shooting bag , fur hat and a rifle from the 1830's or so.
Pretty fun day for everyone.
You see his pic in our blog : ruxtonmusuem.org
Andy
At my first show at the local library, I had a young boy just thrilled to have his picture taken with handmade shooting bag , fur hat and a rifle from the 1830's or so.
Pretty fun day for everyone.
You see his pic in our blog : ruxtonmusuem.org
Andy
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Texas Moon
Member
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2004
- Messages
- 483
One day I went shooting with a group of acquaintances I had never shot with before.
One fellow had a really cute wife. Little tiny lady.
These folks were all busy shooting their modern handguns.
Just for the heck of it I pulled out a Walker-Colt and boomed away.
Everyone stopped shooting and collected around the Walker. I reloaded and let each of them fire off a cylinder. Much Oooo and Ahhhh. LOL
When Cute Wife had her turn she turned to the Hubby and DEMANDED a he buy her a Walker! Poor slob. LMAO
Later he called me and I told him what all he was in for.
He is probably still cursing me.
One fellow had a really cute wife. Little tiny lady.
These folks were all busy shooting their modern handguns.
Just for the heck of it I pulled out a Walker-Colt and boomed away.
Everyone stopped shooting and collected around the Walker. I reloaded and let each of them fire off a cylinder. Much Oooo and Ahhhh. LOL
When Cute Wife had her turn she turned to the Hubby and DEMANDED a he buy her a Walker! Poor slob. LMAO
Later he called me and I told him what all he was in for.
He is probably still cursing me.
aarondhgraham
Member
I'm not really a lover of black powder guns,,,
I'm not really a lover of black powder guns,,,
I simply hate the clean-up process,,,
Especially in percussion revolvers.
But just because it was so cheap,,,
I bought a very simple 50 caliber cap and ball rifle.
Very plain and traditional percussion lock,,,
But made of stainless steel,,,
With a polymer stock.
I found the process of loading and shooting it to be relaxingly therapeutic.
I had it out to the range one day,,,
Everyone else there had modern semi-auto rifles.
One young boy was watching me very intently,,,
So I asked his dad if it was okay for him to try it out.
I loaded the first round,,,
But after that I had him do it all,,,
He had to stand on a stool to use the ramrod.
But you should have seen the kids face,,,
He was very serious about learning the steps,,,
Complete with his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth.
He shout close to 20 rounds before his arm got tired,,,
But he was beaming a huge grin because he was playing Davy Crockett.
I heard him tell his dad that shooting the AR was "too easy",,,
But shooting the "old-time rifle" was much more fun.
Honestly, I almost gave the rifle to the kid right then and there,,,
If I recall correctly I paid $65.00 for it from Cabela's,,,
They were having a close out sale on them.
I did end up giving it to another friend,,,
He used it to teach his grandson muzzle stuffing.
They still shoot that little rifle quite a bit,,,
It was some obscure Spanish import,,,
But surprisingly accurate.
Aarond
.
I'm not really a lover of black powder guns,,,
I simply hate the clean-up process,,,
Especially in percussion revolvers.
But just because it was so cheap,,,
I bought a very simple 50 caliber cap and ball rifle.
Very plain and traditional percussion lock,,,
But made of stainless steel,,,
With a polymer stock.
I found the process of loading and shooting it to be relaxingly therapeutic.
I had it out to the range one day,,,
Everyone else there had modern semi-auto rifles.
One young boy was watching me very intently,,,
So I asked his dad if it was okay for him to try it out.
I loaded the first round,,,
But after that I had him do it all,,,
He had to stand on a stool to use the ramrod.
But you should have seen the kids face,,,
He was very serious about learning the steps,,,
Complete with his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth.
He shout close to 20 rounds before his arm got tired,,,
But he was beaming a huge grin because he was playing Davy Crockett.
I heard him tell his dad that shooting the AR was "too easy",,,
But shooting the "old-time rifle" was much more fun.
Honestly, I almost gave the rifle to the kid right then and there,,,
If I recall correctly I paid $65.00 for it from Cabela's,,,
They were having a close out sale on them.
I did end up giving it to another friend,,,
He used it to teach his grandson muzzle stuffing.
They still shoot that little rifle quite a bit,,,
It was some obscure Spanish import,,,
But surprisingly accurate.
Aarond
.
Officers'Wife
Member
When I was 14 or so my sister married a despicable piece of human trash that decorum will not allow me to say evil things about... On his first visit here he was on the range telling us all how since he was in the state police firearms were second nature to him etc etc ad nausem...
My uncle finally took out this... handgun and made a great show of loading it with what appeared to be a *huge* amount of powder (it was actually sleight of hand and only 40 grain) then a conical ball roughly the size and length of Paul Bunyon's thumb. He told my brother in law that a wimp couldn't shoot it without a flinch that sent the ball over the target. Being what he was, BIL took the weapon, took careful aim, set himself for the coming recoil and pulled the trigger.
When the priming powder went off BIL did flinch and by the time the main charge went off the weapon was at about a 30 degree angle. My uncle calmly took the weapon away from him and put it back in the case and walked away, not saying another word.
My uncle finally took out this... handgun and made a great show of loading it with what appeared to be a *huge* amount of powder (it was actually sleight of hand and only 40 grain) then a conical ball roughly the size and length of Paul Bunyon's thumb. He told my brother in law that a wimp couldn't shoot it without a flinch that sent the ball over the target. Being what he was, BIL took the weapon, took careful aim, set himself for the coming recoil and pulled the trigger.
When the priming powder went off BIL did flinch and by the time the main charge went off the weapon was at about a 30 degree angle. My uncle calmly took the weapon away from him and put it back in the case and walked away, not saying another word.
Officers'Wife
Member
Second favorite
The story is told that in the dim reaches of ancient times my uncle had a visitor and was showing him the products of his manufacture. Two Gatling style guns and a cannon. At that time there was a house just down the highway where there was a Chicago people transplant. Hearing the cannon go off and the rapid fire of the Gatlings he called the sheriff and hysterically told him my uncle was starting a war with machine guns and explosives...
It's said the dispatcher put the sheriff on, who listened to his complaint and told the guy to call back when my uncle had run out of ammunition...
The story is told that in the dim reaches of ancient times my uncle had a visitor and was showing him the products of his manufacture. Two Gatling style guns and a cannon. At that time there was a house just down the highway where there was a Chicago people transplant. Hearing the cannon go off and the rapid fire of the Gatlings he called the sheriff and hysterically told him my uncle was starting a war with machine guns and explosives...
It's said the dispatcher put the sheriff on, who listened to his complaint and told the guy to call back when my uncle had run out of ammunition...
elhombreconnonombre
Member
I was invited to join a group of reenactors/living history folks for a history presentation at the Alamo a few years back. I attended in my impression of a Texas Ranger circa 1847, in buckskins, widebrim planters hat, tall boots, etc. I displayed my weapons on a hay bale covered with a colorfull Mexican serape. I answered questions from the kiddos regarding my big replica Walkers, a 19th century Bowie style knife, cb plains ml rifle replica, and my gggpaws cb cut down sxs English 12 guage he carried in the Mexican War and ACW.
I went through the loading procedure using black pepper as the powder for all the weapons. The kiddos thought it was a hoot.
I went through the loading procedure using black pepper as the powder for all the weapons. The kiddos thought it was a hoot.
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BullRunBear
Member
I always enjoy introducing folks, especially youngsters, to muzzleloading but my favorite was with my best friend's sons. They were 8 and 6 at the time. We had been teaching them the fundamentals of safety and sight picture with little single shot 22s. But they wanted to shoot the 'grownup' guns, flintlocks, their dad and I used. We set them up with front and rear rests and with powder puff loads good to about 25 yards. They LOVED it: the flash, the boom, the smoke and the holes in the very large targets. They insisted on doing the reloading but had to stand on chairs to reach the muzzles. (We 'helped' push on the ramrods.) They even helped clean the guns by wiping down the flints and the frizzens. I don't think they stopped grinning for days.
I learned later that they were the envy of their classmates from shooting the smoke poles. And in their minds, they were holding off the Red Coats at Yorktown.
The 'kids' are in their 30s now, which doesn't seem possible, but they still talk about that first ML session.
Jeff
I learned later that they were the envy of their classmates from shooting the smoke poles. And in their minds, they were holding off the Red Coats at Yorktown.
The 'kids' are in their 30s now, which doesn't seem possible, but they still talk about that first ML session.
Jeff
WestKentucky
Member
This past year I had a kid from church who was kinda bummed that life got in the way of him getting to go deer hunting during rifle season, so I took him during muzzleloader season. Literally seconds after he asked when the deer normally show up, a doe stood up no more than 30 yards straight ahead of us. She had apparently been napping in the thick weeds. He tried 4 different #11 caps before the deer ran off, 3 of which actually popped but didn't ignite the powder. Looked like the first one kinda mushed down into the nipple and blocked the spark from getting in. Of course after that the gun fired flawlessly. I will never forget though how the deer just appeared and vanished right in front of us several times. At one point he asked if he could take the gun, go scare the deer to make it stand up, and shoot it as it stood up. No meat brought home but he had a blast, and still talks about it very positively. Last time I heard him tell the story another kid asked if he was mad and the response was basically "why be mad, I got out, saw what it was all about, had a lot of fun and saw God's creation in a whole new way, it wasn't part of the plan to kill one, but it sure was fun to try" He's a great kid. And now he is getting excited about summer and stripe fishing.
TheSquire
Member
Volley fire
I was at my local range a little while back and by some strange quirk of fate all the lanes were for once taken up with muzzle loaders. After a few shots we agreed to fire off a few volleys together.
I think we did 4 or 5, loading and firing together, but when we had finished, we couldn't see the targets for smoke and unbeknownst to us, club members had sneaked in and there was sea of smiling faces behind us, all asking if they could have a go!
I was at my local range a little while back and by some strange quirk of fate all the lanes were for once taken up with muzzle loaders. After a few shots we agreed to fire off a few volleys together.
I think we did 4 or 5, loading and firing together, but when we had finished, we couldn't see the targets for smoke and unbeknownst to us, club members had sneaked in and there was sea of smiling faces behind us, all asking if they could have a go!
My first handgun was a .36 Navy at 17.
Knowing nothing, on the first outing ( nobody would sell 17-year-olds ammunition here in 1969, but I could buy BP all day long) I filled up the chambers, did not include any lube or wad, and promptly produced a 3-chamber chainfire.
My buddies were suitably impressed.
I was motivated to seek more knowledge.
Denis
Knowing nothing, on the first outing ( nobody would sell 17-year-olds ammunition here in 1969, but I could buy BP all day long) I filled up the chambers, did not include any lube or wad, and promptly produced a 3-chamber chainfire.
My buddies were suitably impressed.
I was motivated to seek more knowledge.
Denis
Noz
Member
A friend who is a gunsmith specializing in muzzleloaders was attending a off hand muzzle loading event.
One of the competitors saw him and ran to him with a problem, His rifle had suddenly started throwing shots all over the target.
My friend told him that it sounded like he had a condition called shooting a barrel smooth. The build up of cleaning material, fouling and lube was obscuring the lands and grooves in the barrel causing a lack of rotation and resulting poor performance.
How do I cure it? was asked.
The easiest and quickest way is to run urine down the tube let it set for a few minutes and then go thru a normal cleaning.
The competitor left with a worried frown.
All was forgotten for a few moments until a small boy came running from the rest room yelling "Momma, Momma. You won't believe what that man in the restroom is doing to his gun"
One of the competitors saw him and ran to him with a problem, His rifle had suddenly started throwing shots all over the target.
My friend told him that it sounded like he had a condition called shooting a barrel smooth. The build up of cleaning material, fouling and lube was obscuring the lands and grooves in the barrel causing a lack of rotation and resulting poor performance.
How do I cure it? was asked.
The easiest and quickest way is to run urine down the tube let it set for a few minutes and then go thru a normal cleaning.
The competitor left with a worried frown.
All was forgotten for a few moments until a small boy came running from the rest room yelling "Momma, Momma. You won't believe what that man in the restroom is doing to his gun"
FiveStrings
Member
My daughter grew up to become, among other things, a very attractive young woman, and an excellent shot with a pistol. She was around 19 or 20 when I got a Pietta 1858 Remington. One day she went with me to the public range, where there were a lot of other shooters practicing on the pistol line. She fired several cylinders through the '58 at the 15 yard target and leaving very tight groups in every target circle. SHe was also getting a lot of attention from the guys who wandered back and forth behind us on the firing line. During a cease fire I remarked to her about all the attention she was getting with that cap and ball pistol and she brushed it off as just guys being guys, and all. I said "maybe so, but maybe not. Come with me." I walked her down the firing line and told her to check out the targets of all these guys who were practicing with mostly modern automatics. "Check out their targets," I told her, "now go back and look at yours." She was cleanly outshooting most of them, and with antique technology. I don't know whose ego got boosted more that day, hers or mine.
Browning Guy
Member
Years ago I used to shoot a lot of BP. Several friends would gather to shoot and try out our different guns at a friends farm. Several of us were into shooting and history so there was always a mix of muzzle loaders there. One day a friend brought a fellow engineer out with him. This guy was working here from a sister plant in England. He was interested in history but never had done any shooting. We had a full history of guns there that day, from a hand made matchlock, a replica Brown Bess, 2 long rifles one a commercial and the other a hand made Tennessee "poorboy" flinter. A "Hawkin" style and an in line, synthetic stock, closed breech. Along with several pistols.
Being from England he couldn't believe we would just go out in a field on the farm without "permits, or license or anything" and just shoot! Then the engineer and historian came out in him as we showed him things he had read about and never actually seen first hand, just in museums. Now it was hands on and real. He could touch and examine them. Then the "little boy" came out in him as we started letting him shoot them for real. He shot them all several times but he kept gravitating back to the "brown Bess" and the flintlock long rifle. He finally came to the conclusion "now I see why you guys won the war". For a non-shooter, that guy threw a TON of smoke down range that day. My friend told me that later he got a letter from England and the guy was wanting to know the brands and models of the brown bess and the long rifle as he had had a "grand time" was checking into the laws at home. Sounds like some of that smoke got in his blood!
Being from England he couldn't believe we would just go out in a field on the farm without "permits, or license or anything" and just shoot! Then the engineer and historian came out in him as we showed him things he had read about and never actually seen first hand, just in museums. Now it was hands on and real. He could touch and examine them. Then the "little boy" came out in him as we started letting him shoot them for real. He shot them all several times but he kept gravitating back to the "brown Bess" and the flintlock long rifle. He finally came to the conclusion "now I see why you guys won the war". For a non-shooter, that guy threw a TON of smoke down range that day. My friend told me that later he got a letter from England and the guy was wanting to know the brands and models of the brown bess and the long rifle as he had had a "grand time" was checking into the laws at home. Sounds like some of that smoke got in his blood!
Buddy
Member
This s a story that I read several years ago. I don't remember where.
Two muzzleloading hunters in primitive dress came upon two "modern" hunters in Texas.
The primitive hunters explained that they were unfamiliar with the area and asked the others if they knew how to find Houston. The modern hunters gave them directions and explained that it was a big place and would be hard to miss. The primitive hunters replied "We aint huntin no place we're huntin Huston the man. We hear he's gatherin up an army around here somewhar and we want to join up." Having said that, the two primitive hunters disappeared into the woods with no further explanation.
Two muzzleloading hunters in primitive dress came upon two "modern" hunters in Texas.
The primitive hunters explained that they were unfamiliar with the area and asked the others if they knew how to find Houston. The modern hunters gave them directions and explained that it was a big place and would be hard to miss. The primitive hunters replied "We aint huntin no place we're huntin Huston the man. We hear he's gatherin up an army around here somewhar and we want to join up." Having said that, the two primitive hunters disappeared into the woods with no further explanation.
Loyalist Dave
Member
OK only a black powder story because it happened at a reenactment…
On a Sunday morning at the reenactment of Brandywine Creek, which on that weekend was held on a PA State Parks site….we were in formation getting our Bess muskets inspected. The rule for the parks was that a park official had to do the overall inspection.
Well, the regular guy was ill, so they sent a junior staff member out to do the inspection. She knew nothing about flintlocks, but…she was a rather “hot” babe. Somebody told her to take two fingers and check to make sure our flints were properly tight in the locks, and to let the inspection go at that.
So…there we were, lined up in proper British military inspection formation, splendid in our red coats and crossed belts, with our muskets held out in front of us, so this pretty young lady could check each and every one of our musket flints…then move on to the next group, etc....
Well I couldn’t stand it after she finished with my company, so I stepped out of formation, faced our captain (he was always a good one for an impromptu ad-lib on the field), presented arms, and I shouted,
“Sir! The private begs to report, Sir!” loud enough for the entire British formation to hear…
“Well then REPORT private!” replied my Captain.
“The men have all taken a poll, and we are unanimous, that we all very much like having a pretty young lady finger our cocks in the morning, Sir!” Loudly referring to what the young lady had been doing to our muskets…..
The formation all fell out laughing... the young lady didn't understand the joke...
I mean really….couldn’t let that opportunity go to waste now could I?
LD
On a Sunday morning at the reenactment of Brandywine Creek, which on that weekend was held on a PA State Parks site….we were in formation getting our Bess muskets inspected. The rule for the parks was that a park official had to do the overall inspection.
Well, the regular guy was ill, so they sent a junior staff member out to do the inspection. She knew nothing about flintlocks, but…she was a rather “hot” babe. Somebody told her to take two fingers and check to make sure our flints were properly tight in the locks, and to let the inspection go at that.
So…there we were, lined up in proper British military inspection formation, splendid in our red coats and crossed belts, with our muskets held out in front of us, so this pretty young lady could check each and every one of our musket flints…then move on to the next group, etc....
Well I couldn’t stand it after she finished with my company, so I stepped out of formation, faced our captain (he was always a good one for an impromptu ad-lib on the field), presented arms, and I shouted,
“Sir! The private begs to report, Sir!” loud enough for the entire British formation to hear…
“Well then REPORT private!” replied my Captain.
“The men have all taken a poll, and we are unanimous, that we all very much like having a pretty young lady finger our cocks in the morning, Sir!” Loudly referring to what the young lady had been doing to our muskets…..
The formation all fell out laughing... the young lady didn't understand the joke...
I mean really….couldn’t let that opportunity go to waste now could I?
LD
One of my all time favorite stories involving old guns is the Charles Russell story, A Savage Santa Claus. The family had a couple of books of his stories when I was a kid. I blame those books and Charlie Russell for ruining me and making me want to live in the west.
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700941h.html
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700941h.html
Officers'Wife
Member
OK only a black powder story because it happened at a reenactment…
The formation all fell out laughing... the young lady didn't understand the joke...
I mean really….couldn’t let that opportunity go to waste now could I?
LD
We are not amused.
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